Crumb tray



Sept. 15, 1953 R. B. LAWRENCE I CRUMB TRAY Filed Jan. 7, 1949 c M H 1 m m m N r I M W Z.

Patented Sept. 15, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,651,925 CRUMB TRAY Richard B. Lawrence, Detroit, Mich. Application January 7, 1949, Serial No. 69,744

3 Claims.

, This invention relates to tableware and more particularly to an improved crumb tray with scraper.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved crumb tray with scraper, which is convenient in use and which eliminates functional disadvantages of prior constructions.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved crumb tray and a scraper therefor, each of which can be made from a single piece of sheet material by a single stamping operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved crumb tray having its various functional portions properly positioned for convenient holding and use, and yet in such relative positions as to ensure smooth flow of the material during the forming stage of the stamp ing operation, as well as easy trimming after forming is completed.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved crumb tray made from a single piece of sheet material by a single stamping operation and provided with a handle which while being convenient in use does not stick out for such a distance as to present danger of accidental knocking off the tray from the table and does not occupy too much space when the crumb tray is put away into a drawer.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved crumb tray which does not rock and stands firmly if left on the table.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved crumb tray which is compact in packing, and which when packed for shipment in large numbers will stack up one into another.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved crumb tray, which, while satisfying the above specified functional requirements, is of a pleasing appearance and is adapted to receive well various surface finishes and ornamentations suitable for an article of silverware or tableware.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an improved crumb tray with scraper embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the crumb tray with scraper shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows on the section plane passing through the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In describing the crumb tray embodying the present invention, the table-contacting edge thereof is considered for the purpose of description as the front, and the handle as the rear of the tray. The terms upper and lower are used with reference to tray portions correspondingly disposed when the tray rests flat on a straight horizontal surface.

In the drawing there is shown, by way of example, an improved crumb tray with scraper, embodying the present invention. Referring to the drawing, the crumb tray generally designated therein by the character 0 comprises a crumb-receiving pocket of an elongated shape and extending with its longer dimension transversely to the direction of sweeping into said pocket. The pocket has a fiat bottom ID of an elongated shape surrounded with vertically extending, up wardly diverging walls. The front edge I I of the bottom I0 is substantially straight and it merges into the front wall I2 of the pocket, while the rear edge I3 is of an arcuate form and merges with the back wall I4. The end edges I 5, I5 of the bottom are also arcuate and they merge into the end walls I6, I 6. I prefer to use 10 /2 inch radius for the rear edge I 3 and {a inch radius for the end edges I5, I5. The curvature at the corners at the places of juncture of the bottom and the walls is approximately 4 of an inch. However, other values for the above radii may be used to suit other conditions.

The rear wall I4 of the crumb-receiving pocket is higher than the front wall I I. Along the upper edge I! of said rear wall I4 there is provided a horizontally extending flange I8 having an upstanding flange I9 provided along its rear and end edges. The flange I8 may also be termed a handle flange, since it is provided, in addition to other reasons, also to form a handle for the tray.

In front of the wall I2 there is provided an in clined ramp 20 having a rear edge merging into the wall I2 and end walls I 6, I 6 of the pocket, while its front edge forms a straight edge or lip 2| lying in the plane of the bottom I0. I prefer to have the ramp 20 and the handle flange I8 to lie in approximately parallel planes. Side edges 22, 22 of the ramp converge toward the crumbreceiving pocket and merge with ramp flanges 23, 23. Each of the flanges 23 comes substantially to a point at the lip 2| and gradually increases in height rearwardly, so that its rear end merges into the end wall I6, handle flange I8 and vertical flange 19. By virtue of such a construction a continuous upper edge is provided from the lip 2| around the entire tray. Said edge may form at the ramp flanges a pleasing curve, as indicated at 24. The flanges 23, 23 are upwardly diverging, each of said flanges forming on the outside of the pan an angle of approximately 60 degrees with the horizontal plane, or the plane of a table on which the crumb tray may be placed. In other words, downward continuation of the planes'of :said flange 23, 23 form between themselves an included angle of approximately 60 degrees, said angle slightly decreasing toward th crumb-receiving pocket in order to effect a more gradual merging of the flanges 23, 23 with the handle flange l3.

A hole 25 is provided in the handle flange l8 for hanging the tray on a nail or hook on the wall as well as for suspending it in plating, if required.

I prefer to make the trayof such dimensionsas to have its lip approximately 7 inches long, with the distance along the center line'of thetray from the lip 2! to the flange 19 being approximately 6 inches; the length of the bottom crumbwith and a much smaller radius such as one sixteenth of a-ninchrnay be used. By virtue of such a construction th tray may be made even from such materials as sheet steel in a single stamping operation, its forming and trimming being accomplished in a single stroke of the press.

The scraper S is also constructed to be made in a single stamping operation, and it comprises a flat body 30 having a straight lower edge 3| of the length equal or slightly smaller than the length of the crumb-receivingpocket of the tray C, thereby ensuring that the scraper will enter the tray and can be moved over the ramp and for some distance over the crumb-receiving pocket without interference at the flanges 23, 23. It is preferable to make the scraper approximately of'this construction aifords a 'very comfortable I and secure hold and is very convenient to use. .A hole 33 may also be provided in the scraper at any suitable place. I prefer to provide such a hole at one side of the scraper.

By virtue of providing the above disclosed crumb tray and scraper therefor, object ofthe present invention and numerous additional advantages are attained.

Where they form an angle, it is tending flange provided along the back wall of said pocket and merging smoothly and seamless- "ly into said back wall and end walls of said pocket and adapted to be used as a handle for said tray, and inclined side flanges provided along the sides of said ramp and having front ends terminating at said lip and rear ends merging smoothly and seamlessly with the upper portion of the wall of said crumb-receiving pocket and also merging seamlessly with said horizontally extending flange.

2. A crumb tray as defined by the preceding claim 1, said side flanges coming to substantially a point at the lip of the ramp.

3. A crumb tray as defined by the preceding claim 1, said horizontally extending flange being turned up at its back and end edges to form an upstanding flange having end merging seamlessly into the back ends of the ramp side flanges.

RICHARD B. LAWRENCE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 16,959 Palmer Oct. 26, 1886 D. 26,698 Wojidkow Mar. 2, 1897 D. 39,839 Lattin Feb. 23, 1909 D. 47,170 Schindler Mar. 30, 1915 D. 55,757 Easby July 13, 1920 113,985 Daniels et a1. Apr. 25, 1871 258,631 Clark et a1. May 30, 1882 317,433 Atwood May 5, 1885 509,689 Sarchet Nov. 28, 1893 604,064 Milligan May 17, 1898 633,787 Brown Sept. 26, 1899 720,761 Wade Feb. 17, 1903 1,228,373 Kristofek May 29, 1917 1,238,860 Williams et a1. Sept. 4, 1917 1,940,546 Hower Dec. 19, 1933 2,122,948 Padelford et a1. July 5, 1938 2,455,695 Monaco Dec. 7, 1948 2,496,735 'Malone Feb. 7, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS .Number Country Date 435,142 France Dec. 16,1911 

